The postmortem report of 16-year-old Muhammed Shahabas, who was brutally assaulted in Kerala's Kozhikode district, has revealed the extent of the attack. His skull was fractured below the right ear, and deep wounds were found on his nose and under his left eye, accompanied by severe bruising. The assault on his chest led to internal bleeding.
The attack stemmed from a clash related to a farewell party at a tuition centre in Thamarassery. Although Shahabas was not a student there, he became an unintended victim of the violence. Police suspect the attackers used a nunchuck -- a weapon used in martial arts - to hit his skull.
Shahabas died due to critical head injuries while undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit of Kozhikode Government Medical College Hospital. He died around 1 am on Saturday. Following the incident, five students were taken into custody, charged with murder and presented before the Juvenile Justice Board, police said.
The postmortem report confirmed that Shahabas suffered a severe skull fracture and brain injuries caused by the attack. His body was taken to his ancestral home at 3 pm after the postmortem at Kozhikode Medical College. It was kept for public viewing before being buried. Hundreds, including family and friends, gathered to pay their last respects.
According to police, during a dance performance, some students from Thamarassery Government Vocational Higher Secondary School mocked students from MJ Higher Secondary School. This led to tensions that escalated over the following days.
After the farewell event, students from different schools made social media posts on Instagram and gathered in town. On February 27, around 15 students, including Shahabas, confronted the other group on Vezhuppur Road in Thamarassery, leading to a violent clash around 5 pm.
Initially, Shahabas did not appear to be seriously injured. He was taken to Thamarassery Taluk Hospital and then sent home. However, his condition worsened, and he was shifted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, where he remained in a coma until his death.
The police registered a case based on a complaint by Shahabas's father. After his death, the charges were upgraded to murder. The parents of the accused have been instructed to present the students before the Juvenile Justice Board again. The police are also looking into whether others were involved.
Kerala education minister V Sivankutty has ordered a departmental inquiry into the incident. The Director of Public Education has also called a detailed probe. "While cinema may have some influence, it's essential that everyone plays a role in uplifting society. No one should be led down the wrong path," said Union Minister Suresh Gopi.
